The Surprising Truth About Thin Ideals

 

It is well known that thinness was encouraged and glorified in decades such as the '60s. Popular models of the time, such as Jean Shrimpton or Twiggy, were seen sporting an androgynous figure with small chests and hips. While many decades have passed since then, the internalization of these standards still has effects in modern times. 

Healthy living was not at the forefront of these standards, instead, it was harsh diets and "miracle pills" used to achieve the ideal body. This androgynous figure also contributed to America having a record-high use of amphetamines for mundane uses, including weight loss. These standards lead to years of unhealthy diets and internalization of how people should look. We must eradicate the notion that thinness always equates to healthiness to rid the world of body shaming. 

In an article by Oz Garcia, Being Thin Isn't The Same As Being Healthy, Garcia states how she has had clients who appear to be thin, fit, and ideal but have internal health issues that are normally associated with overweight people. While talking about a thin client who was diagnosed with diabetes, Garcia's client stated that "... she had never really had to think about exercising or eating healthy, that she had always been lucky to have such a great metabolism." 

In this case here, the aforementioned client had not properly taken care of their health but was still shocked to see that they had diabetes. 

Thin standards have evolved and still affect our daughters, nieces, and granddaughters. In Sharlene Hesse-Biber's book, Am I Thin Enough Yet?: The Cult of Thinness and the Commercialization of Identity, she speaks upon the concerningly common experience of women in college having eating problems or eating disorders. 

Take the mention of Janet in this text as an example of how this college prioritized their acceptance of cheerleaders by a number on a scale rather than skill by the women. Hesse-Biber took note that, "All female applicants had to line up and get weighed, and if they were over the 115-pound limit, they were rejected without a chance to show their skills." This is often a situation that our younger loved ones will deal with in their lifetime. 

People who support and agree with the thin ideal often make the argument that thin people are simply just healthier, and being overweight is bad because of health risks such as heart diseases, diabetes, high blood pressure, etc. This may be true in some cases, but thin people are not exempt. Older generations already have an increased risk of diabetes and related problems, but seniors vary heavily in body types. Health cannot be assumed based on someone's weight. 

If we think about the use of BMI or (Body Mass Index), many people use it as a measure of health from the label that comes from it. Whether you're "underweight", "ideal", "overweight", or "obese", there will be an automatic response that comes from these labels. 

BMI measurements might not be as reliable as they seem. In an article by K.J Rothman, BMI-related errors in the measurement of obesity, Rothman brings attention to the problems with using this as a measure of body fat. Rothman states, "It does not, for example, take age, sex, bone structure, fat distribution, or muscle mass into consideration. For these reasons and others, BMI can misrepresent the quantity it is used to measure."

I'll explain a personal story of mine to paint the picture that thinness is not always healthy. 

A few years ago, I had been underweight to the point of constantly being tired, having hair fall out, and fainting from anemia. Despite this, no one ever seemed to question my health or if I was even okay. When talking about this with several doctors, there was one common response. "Why would you want to gain weight? A lot of people wish they could look like you."

Every time those words echoed in my head, I would be defeated to the point of accepting my failing health because "I had nothing to complain about." After years of constantly feeling ill, I managed to ask a personal friend of mine, Faye, to help me gain weight steadily and safely. Faye was constantly eating healthy and went to the gym several days a week.

I have to mention one thing though; Faye didn't look like she did these things. She was stocky and much bigger than me. You might ask, "Why does that matter?" In my eyes, it didn't but according to a vile man in the gym, it did. He berated her and made it clear that "You don't belong here fatty."

These standards have been ingrained in society for decades upon decades, but that does not mean that there cannot be change. Help our future generations by proposing the notion that body size does not always equate to healthiness or unhealthiness.